For Want of a Nail: A Rain of Ash
by ScottishMongol
Summary: The third installment in the For Want of a Nail series. Stannis makes his move against the Tyrells, the Lannisters and Greyjoys wait in the wings, and on the Wall and in Slaver's Bay big changes are coming.
1. Asha I

**Asha**

Asha had not participated in the battle against the Redwynes. After losing most of her men on the Mander, she had soured on the Reach campaign. At first it had been good: plenty of plunder, and the men they had lost had died at sea, where they could find their way to the Drowned God's halls. But everything had changed when they had sailed up that accursed river.

Now her crew was dead, inland and away from the sea. When the fleet had regrouped at the Shield Islands, the captains had wanted to execute the captured nobles as an act of revenge. Asha had protested, saying they were worth more alive, but she had been ignored. After that, Victarion had led the fleet off south to harass the Redwyne fleet, and Asha, bitter, had remained behind.

She would never find out if Victarion's plan would have worked, though. Not a week after the Redwynes returned to the Arbor a message came from the Iron Islands.

Balon Greyjoy was dead, cast down by the Storm God while crossing one of Pyke's bridges. His brother Euron sat the Iron Throne.

The fleet returned to the Iron Islands. It was true: Euron sat the Seastone chair, and Balon's body was found washed up a few days later.

So the houses of the Iron Islands were forced to either support Euron or oppose him. When Sawayne Botley tried to oppose him, Euron had him drowned in a cask of seawater. The Wynches then declared for Euron, and he declared the Botleys disposed. As Harren Botley had died on the Mander, Tristifer Botley was the true heir to Lordsport, but he fled with Asha, Victarion, and Aeron for Harlaw.

In the Ten Towers, Asha met with Rodrik the Reader and her two uncles to discuss their move.

"The houses of Great Wyk oppose Euron," began Rodrik, "As do Harlaw, Old Wyk, and Blacktyde."

"But Saltcliffe and Orkmont have declared for Euron," said Aeron grimly.

"Victarion can call on the allegiance of the Iron Fleet," responded Asha.

"Euron will strike if we hesitate. The Iron Islands are weakened, and further fighting may destroy us," said Rodrik.

Aeron shook his head.

"Even if we can depose Euron-"

"-And we will!" declared Victarion.

"_If_ we defeat him, Theon will not be able to claim his father's seat, since he is still a hostage of Lord Stark."

"Then I must fetch my brother," said Asha. The others looked at her.

"If I can negotiate with Stannis for Theon's release, he can claim Balon's seat and we can oust Euron!"

"Stannis will want us to bend the knee to him," said Aeron, "That we cannot accept."

"Kneeling to Stannis would be a thousand times better than kneeling to Euron! You know that!" said Asha. Aeron grew quiet, while Victarion nodded his head. Rodrik smiled.

"Then go, and bring back Balon's son. Victarion and I will rally the houses loyal to him and perpare to retake the Seastone Chair."

"And I will help. No godless man may sit the Seastone Chair," said Aeron.

"Very well, then. We will await your return, Asha."

She left not three days later, her crew now filled out by Tristifer Botley and some of his men. They sailed south for the Shield Islands under a flag of truce.

They were stopped by a Redwyne vessel off of Greenshield. As the ship drew up beside them, its captain yelled over the railing.

"Recognize yourself, Ironborn! And be glad the flag of truce still means something to King Stannis."

Asha stood on deck, away from her crew except for Trisitfer Botley, nervously holding the flag of truce.

_King Stannis is it? Things have changed._

"Asha Greyjoy, daughter of Balon, former King of the Iron Islands."

"Former?"

"He's dead. The throne is claimed wrongfully by my uncle, Euron. I've come to negotiate Theon Greyjoy's release in exchange for our submission to Stannis."

"Well. You're in luck, it seems. Stannis is on Southshield right now!"


	2. The Stark Children

**The Stark Children**

As Autumn drew on the North prepared for the onset of Winter. The Winter Town filled was filled with smallfolk and stockpiles of food were collected. A few thousand men were dismissed temporarily from the Wall to help with the harvest.

Catelyn Stark oversaw all of this, but she was increasingly troubled by her children's behavior.

She had argued almost immediately with Ned upon learning of his hiring of Syrio Forel to train Arya in sword fighting, but ultimately relented. However, when Arya began to show interests in horse riding and archery, Catelyn grew worried. She was concerned that Arya would have trouble finding a husband when she grew older. As her plan to have Arya learn ladylike manners in King's Landing had failed and sending her back south was out of the question due to the war, she settled for sending her to White Harbor. However, this did not prevent her from continuing to train.

Meanwhile, Arya had been continuing to have wolf dreams, and was able to unintentionally warg into Nymeria for a brief period of time. Nymeria's pack remained small as the Riverlands was mostly at peace, but as the loyalist army stayed at Harrenhall they could not help but notice the direwolf hunting in the area.

Bran was often found to have secluded himself in the godswood or abandoned parts of Winterfell. Unknown to the other residents of Winterfell, he was practicing skinchanging. It had begun with pointers from Jojen and Meera Reed that allowed him to warg into Summer more efficiently, but he continued to receive dreams from the Three-eyed crow, which taught him to warg into other animals. He managed to warg into one of Maester Luwin's raven, which followed him closely.

Bran was careful to never warg into Summer or his raven when people other than Jojen or Meera were around, but his odd behavior was notice by his mother and Maester Luwin, among others. Meanwhile, the Three-eyed crow was urging him to expand his skinchanging horizons.

Rickon was able to slowly recover from being suddenly separated from his parents, but he would suffer from attachment issues later in life.

Sansa, of course, took the news of Joffrey's incest very poorly. The resulting Trial of Seven and the war that unfolded gave her a deep mistrust for anyone outside the North, and she began to appreciate her family more. Though it took some time, she began to be more outgoing and would often meet with other young northern girls her age until she had begun building up a network of friends among them. She also kept contact with her father and Robb through letters.

When the first heavy snows began to fall, Catelyn received a letter from her brother Edmure which said that their father, Hoster Tully, had grown ill and was close to death. He wished for Catelyn to come south for his funeral. She began preparing immediately, and decided that it was time Sansa found a husband. Though Sansa insisted she would prefer a northern husband, Catelyn was adamant about the girl at least accompanying her to her father's funeral.


	3. Theon I

**Theon**

Theon waited nervously with King Stannis and Lord Stark while his sister's ship rounded the island, accompanied by two Redwyne vessels. Stannis had arrived at the Shield Islands to find them deserted, to his confusion. The King had, nevertheless, made the islands his base of operations, receiving lords there to swear fealty to them. The Florents and Talbert Serry had been the first, followed by many of the surviving lords of the Northern Marches.

However, when an Ironborn ship carrying his sister was spotted off of Greenshield, Theon was worried. Why had she come? Where were the other Ironborn? What had happened to his father?

So, Stannis, Lord Stark, and Theon waited on Southshield for his sister Asha to arrive. A small boat rowed to the shore and out stepped his sister. He was struck immediately by how different she looked. He had not seen any of his family for years - the last time he and Asha had met they were children.

Asha walked directly up to King Stannis and bowed.

"Your grace," she began "I have come on behalf of the people of the Iron Isles to swear fealty to you."

Stannis raised his eyebrows. Clearly he had not expected that. Nor had Theon. He had always though of his father as a man who would rather die than give up the Driftwood Crown once had had claimed it as his own.

"I did not expect Balon to do such a thing," said Stannis, echoing Theon's thoughts.

"Balon Greyjoy...is dead, your grace. He fell from the walkway on Pyke in a storm. His once exiled brother Euron has claimed the Seastone Chair as his own."

Theon tried to process that. He had never known his father, truly. They had not met since he was a child. Now he was dead. Theon wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. He couldn't quite feel sadness for a man he barely known, but still, he was disappointed that he would never get to make Balon proud of him. Although there was a chance he could live up to his father's memory...

Asha continued.

"Euron is an usurper, taking the throne from Balon's rightful heir," her gaze turned to Theon.

"Theon Greyjoy?" asked Stannis, "So you would have Balon's heir back in exchange for your independence?"

The ghost of a smile hovered around Stannis' mouth.

"Truly R'hollor has blessed me!"

He turned to Lord Stark.

"We should take this opportunity. I will back your ward, but I cannot spare any ships against the Lannisters."

"That is for the best, your grace," said Asha, "If Theon retakes the Seastone Chair with foreign ships, he will not be respected by the Ironborn. But, he will not find himself without allies on the Iron Islands."

"That is good," responded Stannis.

He and Lord Stark turned to Theon.

"Theon Greyjoy, if you accept this, I will recognize you as the true lord of the Iron Islands. In exchange, you will swear fealty to me and aid me in my war against the blasphemous Lannisters once your seat is secure."

Theon, suddenly filled with pride, knelt before Stannis.

"I accept, your grace. I will swear fealty to Stannis Baratheon, true King of the Iron Throne!"

When Theon rose, Lord Stark spoke to him.

"Theon, I hope I have raised you well. Remember what I have taught you, and remember your duty."

"I will, Lord Stark. Thank you."

Stannis turned back to Asha.

"You may return to your home now. And as soon as the Seastone Chair is secure, I want the Iron Fleet to burn Lannisport. The gold, you may keep."

Theon climbed into the boat.

"Have no fear, King Stannis! The next time you see me I'll have enough gold to sink a ship!"


	4. Brienne I

**Brienne**

The Lannister raiders were few and far between. Between her men and these mysterious raiders, there seemed to be only half a dozen bands left in all the Northern Marches. Those bands were the most skilled at evading the warriors of the Reach, however, and now they were drawing off to the east, closer to that accursed den of the Lannisters, King's Landing. Still, she had led the dozen or so men put under her command by Lady Oakheart after them.

"Have you heard?" asked one of them as they followed the trail of one o the bands, "Lady Oakheart has knelt to Stannis."

Brienne fought down a surge of anger. Stannis' men had killed Renly, and she had sworn to never bow to him for that. However, she could not waste her energy hating him. The Lannisters were the truly evil ones right now.

"Can't see why she wouldn't. Tyrells are a lot of fools if they think they can prop up Margaery as queen any longer," said Ser Steffon. He was the knight of House Osgrey who had brought Renly's army news of the Lannister's attack on the Reach. That day seemed so long ago.

Lady Oakheart had picked these men because they had no qualms about following a woman, and for that Brienne was grateful. Frankly, she was surprised that any men would permit a woman to ride into battle with them, let alone be led by them, but it seemed with the threat of the Lannisters was enough for half, and the other half respected Lady Oakheart enough to listen to her.

Still, the men had been given the name "The Beauty's Boys" by the other soldiers defending the Reach. Only a few of them let it get to them.

Red Will, a former freerider, pointed with his bow.

"I think they cut west, through those woods."

Ser Steffon peered into the woods in question.

"Marshy ground there. If they were riding light, they could have made it. We can't."

Nearly half the dozen or so men in the group were wearing heavy armor, including Brienne, whose blue armor was dented and scratched from several battles with raiders.

Ser Alyn of Oakheart, her second in command, gestured with his sword.

"We should circle around, my lady. We'll fall behind, but we could pick up their trail when they leave the woods."

"As you say," said Brienne. She had gained a reputation for not speaking to her men often, letting Ser Alyn do the talking for her.

The men rode around the swamp, keeping an eye out for signs that their quarry had left it. This band had plundered countless villages and recently they were growing bold, attacking groups of armed men. The whole countryside was in an uproar, with bands of armed peasants protecting their land against anyone they saw as a threat, while septons railed against the blasphemous Lannisters. Further north and east it would be even worse...

A ruined village loomed up on their left, and Brienne grew nervous. She had barely enough time to shout "Ambush!" before dozens of men rode out of the village and the woods.

Her men drew together in a circle, but the enemy were not raiders. Brienne guessed they were the mysterious bandits. Both sides froze, their weapons ready. The supposed leader of the bandits rode ahead. His shield was battered, the sigil barely recognizable as the boar of Crakehall.

"Brienne the Beauty?"

"Aye, that is me."

"The Reachmen must be truly desperate, if they are turning to women for protection."

She clutched her mace. She had faced ridicule of this type before - her men would not back her up, because they didn't need to. She could crush anyone who challenged her to a duel by herself.

Another of the bandits rode up next to the Crakehall man. This one looked to be merely a peasant, but he held a lance like a man who knew how to use it.

"You have entered the land under the protection of the Dogs of War."

"I thought we were the Hound's Men?" asked someone.

"Or was it the Smallfolk's Guard Dogs?" asked another.

"Those are all stupid names!" yelled a third.

"Enough!" said the peasant with the lance.

"I am Patrek, Stablemaster of Goldengrove, and this is Ser Tregar of Crakehall."

"Formerly of Crakehall," he grumbled.

"We destroyed the raiders you were tracking. However, we have been given orders by our leader to take you to to him. He wishes for you to join him."

"We are knights in service to Lady Oakheart, not bandits in the wilderness!" said Ser Alyn.

"Of course. However, he proposes an alliance against the Lannisters. They are moving east, towards King's Landing, and he has decided to follow them, so that they will not reach the city unmolested."

Brienne thought carefully. She had no idea who their leader was - though she could guess from the names they had given out - nor was she sure as to their strength or ultimate purpose. The man from Crakehall gave pause especially. Perhaps he was a deserter, but the other claimed to be from Goldengrove. And, of course, they were outnumbered.

She slowly returned her mace to her belt.

"We will go with you, but we must retain the right to leave at any time."

"You will have to take that up with our leader."

"Enough talk. Take us to him."


	5. Jon I

**Jon**

_You are not a Stark, nor a Targaeryen. You are a member of the Night's Watch_, Jon repeated to himself, for perhaps the hundredth time since he had had that fateful conversation with Lord Stark. He was almost starting to believe it, too, but he wondered how long he could keep that up.

He had more important matters to attend to, anyway. The vote on Mormont's reforms were coming closer.

Jon and his friends led those in favor of passing the reforms. That group was made up of a coalition of lowborn Black Brothers who wanted land and a family and highborn Black Brothers who wanted to regain some semblance of their old privileges.

The opposition was led by Bowen Marsh, who promoted the tradition of the Night's Watch while opposing opening the Watch to women and free folk. Of course, what wildlings there were in the Watch already preferred to join those in favor of the reforms.

So far it seemed that those in favor had slightly more than those opposed, but the significant number of Black Brothers on the fence could change the tide.

One group that had significant pull with the neutral group was the one led by Janos Slynt and Alliser Thorne. Slynt and many of his men had been outed by Ned Stark and sent to the Wall for their crimes, and they hated Jon Snow for his father's actions. Of course, they also were greedy enough to want a lordship and a keep, if they could get it. Jon Snow was gambling on the latter outweighing the former.

Jon was relieved that he could forget about all that for now, though. He had a wedding to attend.

He had first found out about it like everyone else in Castle Black: woken up in the early hours of the morning by the sounds of fighting. Armed with Longclaw, he had rushed into the courtyard to find Robb's personal guard in a standoff with Mance Rayder's free folk.

Robb had just stolen Val.

Jon was shocked by how quickly tensions had diffused. A few minutes later Mance Rayder's men had broken out the mead and an impromptu feast was started. Robb, sporting a brilliant black eye, a bloody lip, and a nasty bite on his ear, had pulled Jon aside to share a drink.

"I'm sorry I couldn't warn you, but I had to do something. The Northmen and the wildlings were working together, but it was an uneasy peace. There's too much bad blood between us to smooth things over so easily. I had to show the Northmen their future Lord was willing to put the past behind him."

Val, holding her new betrothed's hand, told the story of how he had climbed up the side of King's Tower with a grappling hook and pulled her from her bed, then jumped two stories onto a pile of grain sacks with her slung over his shoulder.

Then Mance Rayder had toasted his sister-in-law's new husband, and Dalla, baby in her arms, had congratulated them.

Wildlings were a strange folk, Jon thought, not for the first time.

Their wedding was held only a few days later. Melisandre married them before a wierwood and Robb placed a cloak bearing the direwolf of House Stark around Val's shoulders.

While the bedding began and Robb and Val were carried off to their chamber, Jon turned to find Ygritte standing over him.

"When is that going to be us, Jon Snow?"

Snow. If that happened, he'd need to have a new name.

"If that happens at all. It's a close thing, Ygritte."

"You crows, holding on to your old ways. See where it got you?"

"Well, that's the whole point, isn't it? No one's sure how the Watch will end up if these reforms are passed. Sometimes we kneelers prefer what we already know to a future we're not sure of."

"Your brother certainly seems to think a future with the wildlings is bright."

"He does, actually," Jon said thoughtfully. Perhaps Robb's gesture of goodwill would get across to more than just Northmen.


	6. Cersei I

**Cersei**

Cersei loved sitting on the Iron Throne. It wasn't comfortable in the slightest, but it reminded Cersei what real power was like, and _that_ was the part she loved.

She had just arrived in the throne room to receive a visitor: a messenger from her father.

When he entered, she smiled.

"Uncle Kevan!"

Kevan Lannister looked uneasy. Doubtless he had seen some things down in the city that unnerved him. Cersei scoffed at the thought.

"What news from my father?"

He coughed and reached into his robes for a letter. He read from it, throwing the occasional uneasy glance at her soldiers lining the walls of the throne room.

"I have brought 10,000 troops from your father, to bolster the defense of, ah, King's Landing. In return, he requires 5,000 sellswords...and Joffrey."

Cersei grew furious. Requires? She was queen of Westeros! And her son needed to stay here, with her!

"Tell my father that my _soldiers_ are required here, to hold down the territory we have taken. Why, Rosby and Stokeworth have already been sacked and their lords replaced by ones loyal to me! And as for my son, he is to be kept out of harm's way."

Kevan did not give ground, though.

"This is an order from your father. He believes that the prince shall learn much on the front lines against the enemies of the realm. In addition, I require my son Lancel and my nephew Tyrek to join me as I return to the Westerlands."

He shot an angry glance at his son, standing behind the throne.

Cersei frowned. She could concede the boys - Lancel was growing boring anyways. But for her father to order her around! Kevan continued speaking.

"I have also brought a fine suit of armor for the prince, which he shall wear into battle. A boy should not hide behind his mother's skirts his whole life, even if that mother is a queen."

Cersei froze. Truly, the new lords of Westeros would not respect her son if he stayed away from the war. And Joffrey would demand to go once he heard of this. She would find a way to make her father pay if Joffrey came to any harm, though.

"Very well. Prince Joffrey will strike fear into the hearts of our enemies! Daario Naharis, you shall lead the soldiers to join my father."

"An honor, your grace. The prince shall come to no harm while I am near him."

"I have the utmost faith in you. And Vargo Hoat, step forwards."

The Qohori stepped forwards, smiling greedily.

"Take 1,000 men and travel north along the coasts. Take Duskendale and visit destruction upon it. Then continue on to Maidenpool."

"Of courth, your grathe," he said. Cersei had forgotten about his ridiculous lisp for a moment. He turned to his lieutenants, standing near the door.

"We thall take no prithonerths!"

With that, they left the throne room.

Cersei nodded to her uncle Kevan.

"If that is all, I must say goodbye to my son."

"Yes, that is all. Come Lancel, we have much to speak of."

He bowed and turned to leave, his son scampering after him.

Daario likewise bowed.

"As I said, no harm shall come to your son while I live."

As he left, Cersei could not help but call after him.

"Indeed! If he comes to harm, I wouldn't put much stock in your own well-being!"


	7. Tyrion I

**Tyrion**

The herald loudly announced their entrance to the throne room of Danearys Stormborn Targaeryen, Queen of the Bay of Ghis, Mother of Dragons, Breaker of Chains.

"The priests of R'hollor, Moqorro of Volantis and Thoros of Myr!"

The two red priests pushed out of the crowd and bowed deeply before the queen.

"Why have you come?" asked Danaerys, proud as any Targaeryen ruler who had come before.

"We have matters of great import to discuss, your grace. It would be wise to speak of them in private, for they involve matters most delicate," said Thoros.

"Perhaps I shall speak with you later, if I deem you trustworthy."

"Wise, your grace. We do have less urgent tidings as well, though."

Thoros raised his voice, loud enough for the whole hall to hear.

"Volantis plots war against you!"

A murmur swept through the hall. Danearys leaned forward.

"How do you know this?"

"We saw the ships gathered in the harbor. Moqorro, who is from that city, knew of it before then, and he says there was revelry in the streets when it was announced.

They are furious with you for disrupting the slave trade. Many in Volantis make their living off of slaves. But then, many in Volantis are slaves themselves."

"Thank you for this important news. I shall act on it as soon as I can."

"Thank you, your grace."

The herald stepped forwards once more.

"Ser Beric Dondarrion and his squire, Edric Dayne!"

The two stepped forwards. Beric knelt before the queen.

"Your grace, I have be blessed by the Red God by great purpose. The red priests have seen in their fires that I am to be your sworn sword, protecting you with my life," Beric said.

"This is related to the delicate matters I mentioned earlier, your grace," said Thoros.

"I am honored by your offer, Ser Beric. If the explanation given by the red priests is satisfactory, you may speak with Ser Barristan Selmy about joining my Kingsguard."

Tyrion was surprised at that. He had noted the man standing behind Danaerys' throne, but had not recognized him as Barristan Selmy. The man had disappeared nearly a year ago, and now here he was in Meereen, the first of the Queensguard for Danaerys Targaeryen!

"In addition, I will be honored to accept you squire into my service. Arthur Dayne fought valiantly in service to my father."

"Thank you, your grace," Edric said nervously.

The two stood and moved to stand next to the red priests. The herald stepped forwards for the third time.

"Tyrion Lannister and his sworn sword Bronn!"

Another murmur swept through the crowd, and Danaerys' face grew hard.

"The Lannisters are no friends of the Targaeryens. Why have you come here?"

Tyrion bowed as low as he could.

"Your grace, I am no friend to my father, as Ser Barristan can assure you. The man who ordered the deaths of your nephew and niece while I was yet a babe always hated me, and the feeling is mutual," he said, shooting a glance at Selmy.

"This is true, your grace. When I left Westeros, he had turned against his father, and was attempting to take Casterly Rock from him. It is odd that he would be here," Barristan Selmy said.

Danaerys was silent for a moment.

"Indeed, it is odd. Why would Lannister turn against Lannister? Why would you abandon Westeros, to come and see a Targaeryen?"

Tyrion strode forwards.

"Your grace, my father has always despised me, for my mother died birthing me and I am a dwarf - he believes me a shame to his family, when I have done all I could to preserve our house. He has wronged me deeply, and I gained no more love from my sister, Robert Baratheon's wife."

He decided it would be prudent not to mention Jaime.

"When Robert died, his younger brother seized the throne, and I was forced to flee for my life! Westeros has no place for me. Let me serve you, your grace!"

Danaerys considered this for a moment.

"What can a dwarf do in my service?"

"Your grace, I am a learned man above most, and I possess a great knowledge of many things, and, especially of interest to you, I know more about dragons than perhaps any other living man."

Danaerys raised her eyebrows.

"Truly? There have been...difficulties with the dragons. We were forced to chain two of them up after one of them ate a child. The third...has escaped."

"I would be honored to help you in this matter, your grace. However, my knowledge goes beyond that of just dragons. I believe there is a role where you can make the full use of it."

"And what is that, Tyrion Lannister?"

"The Hand of the Queen."

The room fell silent. Danaerys Targaeryen smiled slightly.

"For a short man, you have lofty ambitions."

"Strange, your grace, that reminds me of something another man once said to me. A man by the name of Aemon Targaeryen, a maester in service to the Night's Watch!"

Danaerys gasped slightly.

"Yes, many have forgotten that, long ago, Aemon Targaeryen was sent to take the black after he became a maester. I myself was not aware of it at the time, but afterwards I formed my suspicions."

Danearys leaned forwards eagerly.

"What did he say?"

"He was very kind. If you will believe it, he said I was a giant. It quite left me speechless."

The queen looked over Tyrion carefully. After some consideration, she spoke.

"Tyrion Lannister, I still have cause to doubt you due to your birth, but you may consider yourself a candidate for Hand of the Queen. If you prove yourself useful to me in the matter of my dragons, I will give your request further thought, after consulting with my counselors."

"I am honored to even be considered, your grace."

"Now, if I may ask, who is your sworn sword?"

Bronn looked shocked to be even noticed.

"Me? I'm just Bronn. Former sellsword, no particular birth."


	8. The Ironborn Civil War

**The Iron Islands Civil War**

The Ironborn Civil War was a terrible bloodbath that saw the strength of the Iron Islands drastically reduced, in addition to the deaths of many smallfolk on the islands.

Euron struck first, leading the combined strength of Orkmont, Saltcliffe, and Pyke to attack the fleet of Blacktyde, burning it in the harbor.

Meanwhile, Dunstan Drumm died under mysterious circumstances and his sons began fighting over control of his house, with some declaring for Euron and others for Theon.

With Old Wyk and Blacktyde mostly out of the fight for the time being, Great Wyk was left to oppose Euron in the west. Euron then took his fleet and headed to assault the Harlaws.

This was that state of things when Theon arrived. Immediately, the tide began to turn.

Victarion Greyjoy led the Iron Fleet to attack Saltcliffe, causing many of the houses to withdraw from Euron's fleet and return to their homes.

Meanwhile, Aeron Greyjoy went to Old Wyk to rally the houses there against Euron. The pro-Theon Drumms won out and together with the houses of Old Wyk they overwhelmed Orkmont.

At Saltcliffe, Victarion crushed the Saltcliffe fleet, but took heavy losses. Some of his men, furious at the losses, burned several castles on Saltcliffe in revenge.

Finally, Euron's fleet moved to assault the Ten Towers of Harlaw. In a battle beneath the Towers, the Harlaws threw back Euron's man, and Theon distinguished himself in battle by seizing the ship of Lord Orkwood.

Euron retreated to Pyke, gathering all the men and ships he could from the islands once loyal to him, and prepared to make a stand on Pyke.

However, Asha managed to sneak Tristifer Botley into Lordsport, where he led an uprising that reinstated him as Lord of House Botley. A the same time, Victarion led the combined fleets of Old Wyk, Harlaw, and the Iron Fleet to attack the shores of Pyke.

In the ensuing fighting most of House Wynch was slain and the ships loyal to Euron were burned in Lordsport harbor. Euron escaped in the _Silence_, however, and raising Dragonbinder aloft he swore vengeance on the Iron Islands.

During the fighting there had also been much violence as houses took advantage of grudges to raid their neighbors and ambitious and greedy men raided for gold and jewels. Many civilians perished in the battle and the total death toll of the Ironborn Civil War reached the thousands before Victarion and Theon managed to bring peace to all the islands. After that, they were able to scrape together a worryingly small fleet in preparation to sack Lannisport.


	9. Brienne II

**Brienne**

The Hound's Men - the soldiers who had captured Brienne and her troops had finally decided on a name - brought them to the burned, abandoned ruin of a holdfast. Well, formerly abandoned. There were close to hundred men there, and the smoke from their campfires was thick in the air.

While her men were given food and supplies, Brienne was brought into the old tower inside the holdfast. There, in the ashes and burnt planks of wood, a man was staring into a campfire intently.

When he turned, Brienne's suspicions were confirmed. The face scar identified him immediately as the Hound, Sandor Clegane.

"So, the soldier in blue armor who's been killing off Lannister raiders was a woman?" he said, turning back to the fire.

"Aye. Is this a problem?"

"Not really. You can fight, damn well from what we cal tell, and your men appear to be loyal to you."

"Mostly they're loyal to Lady Oakheart."

He grunted.

"Doesn't matter. They'll do."

"Do? What do you need my men for?"

"The Lannisters are abandoning the Reach. And we're going after them."

Brienne sat down across from the Hound.

"Look, we have orders to defend the Reach. We can't go chasing Lannister soldiers over half the Seven Kingdoms."

The Hound grunted again.

"Why? You don't think they won't visit the destruction they brought here on some other part of the Seven Kingdoms?"

Brienne was silent.

"So, are you in?"

"Perhaps. Tell me, though. How does a Lannister bannerman end up fighting the Lannisters."

The Hound stared deep into the fire.

"After I killed my damned brother, I thought it was over. That was all I wanted in life, and now I had gotten it. The bastard was dead. So, I figured I'd go back to my home and die there.

But when I tried to get into the Westerlands, a border patrol came down on me and tried to kill me. They had orders, you see. Bad idea. I killed all of them and ran off.

I hid out in the wilderness for a while, until the Lannisters came down on the Reach. Then it hit me.

I always hated knights. They were a bunch of liars, I thought. But then I figured - here's my chance t show them all how it's done. Defend the weak and the innocent and all that. I came down on the Lannisters when they thought they were attacking defenseless peasants. I showed them.

Others joined me. A bunch of Crakehall knights, men whose lord had been killed because he got involved in the Lannister's mess. Other soldiers who knew the Seven had judged the Lannisters and found them wanting.

We are the true knights. We defend the weak. Protect the innocent. Rapers, raiders, and killers fear us."

He looked at Brienne.

"Are you a knight?"

"No woman can be a knight," she said grimly.

"Any knight can make a knight. Kneel."

She did. He drew his sword and touched her right shoulder with the blade.

"In the name of the Warrior I charge you to be brave."

The sword moved from right shoulder to left.

"In the name of the Father I charge you to be just."

Right shoulder.

"In the name of the Mother I charge you to defend the young and innocent."

The left.

"In the name of the Maid I charge you to protect all women."

When it was done, he sheathed his sword.

"Rise, Ser Brienne of Tarth," he said, smiling slightly.

She did.

"You'll make a better knight than my damned brother."

With that, he extended his hand.

"So? Will you join me in crushing the accursed Lannisters?"

She shook his hand.

"I'll ride with you, Ser Sandor Clegane."

"Good. Tell your men. At dawn, we ride north."


	10. Sansa I

**Sansa**

Harrenhal was the biggest castle Sansa had ever seen, the huge, foreboding structure loomed over the welcoming party before its gates, calling to mind a great mountain. It was all the more unnerving to think that it had been made with human hands...

The blowing of trumpets directed her attention to the party of lords at the gates of Harrenhal. Sansa, her mother, and 50 Northmen had traveled south from Winterfell on the tail-end of summer. They had just barely crossed the flooded Ruby Ford, and it had brought up bad memories for Sansa - memories of how terrible she had been to Arya, taken in by Joffrey's lies.

She bitterly pushed the memories aside and smiled prettily at the lords. There was her uncle Edmure and her mother's uncle Brynden, both Tullys, Yohn Royce and his sons, and half a dozen lords from the Riverlands and the Vale.

Her uncle Edmure grimly helped her mother down from her horse. Sansa and her mother had gotten the bad news a day ago from a rider: Hoster Tully was dead, and his funeral was being prepared as they spoke. Edmure and Brynden Tully were grim, and Catelyn was saddened that she had not gotten to see her father before he died.

The younger lords practically tripped over each other trying to help Sansa down from her horse. She had expected this, and merely thanked Karyl Vance softly as he offered his hand.

"The pleasure is mine, my lady," he said with a charming smile.

Yohn Royce coughed and gestured with his hand.

"Welcome to Harrenhal, Lady Stark."

Her mother nodded her head.

"Thank you. If you could have our things taken to our quarters?"

Lord Royce nodded and turned to several pages.

"Have their effects taken to their chambers, third floor of the Kingspyre."

They pages moved to take their luggage and scurried off while stableboys came for their horses. Then they followed the lords and knights into the castle itself.

Sansa noted that even with thousands of men within the walls of Harrenhal and more outside in camps, it still seemed partially empty. She shivered.

"I've knighted a dozen young lads for their feats in the Battle of the Gold Road, and written down the names of a dozen more for rewards from the king after this is over," Lord Royce began.

"They must have proven their worthiness as knights," said Sansa. Yohn Royce smiled and continued.

"Indeed, my lady, and that is not all. Willis Wode, the man who captured Mark Mullendore, has been marked down for a lordship. Not Harrenhal, of course, but, well, there's a lot of empty keeps these days."

"Harrenhal? What happened to the Whents?" asked her mother.

"Lady Whent, I am afraid, died of a chill. It ran through our camps a few weeks ago, terrible thing," explained uncle Edmure, "Although I can't believe anyone would want to keep Harrenhal. This place is cursed."

Yohn Royce scoffed at that.

"The men said we shouldn't camp at Harrenhal, owing to the curse. I said, I've got magic of my own, let Harren's ghost try and harm me!" he said, beating a mailed fist against his breastplate. He was wearing the ancestral armor of House Royce, bronze armor inscribed with the runes of the First Men.

Brynden Tully rode closer to her mother.

"As Lord Royce said, there are a lot of empty keeps these days. I know the Tyrells rebelled, but no one deserves what the Lannisters gave them. I hope your husband and the king can make peace with them, so that we can repay those...the Lannisters for what they've done."

Her mother nodded her head gravely. Sansa made note of where the godswood was. She might want to pray for Robb and her father later.

The sun was dropping lower in the sky, casting large parts of the castle in shadow. The rest of it was bathed in the red light of sunset.

Yohn Royce was just directing them towards the dining hall when there was a commotion near the gates. Sansa turned on a whim and walked as fast as she could back to the gates. Her mother and uncle followed her, but Sansa knew everything would be alright.

The guards at the gates threw themselves aside as a great grey blur sped past them. For a second, Sansa thought it was Lady, but no, Lady was dead.

It was Nymeria.

The direwolf, enormous and ragged, stopped just in front of Sansa, panting, and she threw her arms around the beast. Her uncle Edmure swore and Brynden Tully laughed.

"We knew there were wolves causing trouble in the area! I never would have guessed it was one of yours!" he said to her mother.

Catelyn stroked the direwolf's head.

"It's Arya's," she said happily.

Sansa turned to her mother.

"Arya led her here. I know it."


	11. Ned I

**Ned**

Each side had agreed to bring only three people, on top of the assorted guards, pages, and servants.

Ned Stark rode his horse through the ash and ruins on the shores of the Mander with King Stannis and Alester Florent. Behind them, tendrils of smoke rose from the campfires of Stannis' host, his 2,000 strong expeditionary force and the Florent's army, which dwarfed that of Stannis'. The Redwyne Fleet waited on the Mander, carefully avoiding the burnt and ruined hulks of the Ironbonr vessels.

Ned shook his head at the thought of moving them. The river was treacherous with them, and now as the fall floods reached their peak the Mander had broken its banks in many places and made it hard to tell where the sunken vessels were.

Trumpets announced their arrival at the Tyrell's pavilion. Stannis and the rest of the party dismounted and handed the reins of their horses to waiting pages. The guards they had brought with them glared at the Tyrell's guards, gripping their weapons. They entered the pavilion.

It was large, richly colored, with velvet hangings and a brazier in one corner that kept the tent warm. Ned, being from the North, had faced much worse, but even he had noted how unusually cold it was this far south. Winter was coming. Behind a great oaken table were the Tyrell's party: Olenna Tyrell and her grandchildren Willas and Margaery.

If Stannis was off-put by two women being present at the peace talks, he didn't show it. Instead, he sat down across from the new Lord of Highgarden, while Ned sat down across from the Queen of Thorns.

A heavy silence hung over the pavilion. Olenna Tyrell waved away a serving boy after he had filled Stannis' wine cup, then folded her hands and considered the king.

Ned spoke first.

"Lady Olenna, allow me to offer my gravest condolences regarding the fate of your son. Mace Tyrell did not deserve to die such a death at the hands of the Lannisters."

Someone had to say it, and it certainly didn't seem like Stannis was going to. Stannis had no love for Mace Tyrell even before his rebellion, having been besieged by him inside Storm's End. When word had come he had not shown the least bit of remorse for the man. Still, at least he had the good sense to not say anything disparaging to the former Lord of Highgarden at the peace talks.

Olenna shook her head.

"It was foolish to back Renly, I told him so back before all this mess, but he insisted. Of course we couldn't have foreseen this, but - ah, it's no use dwelling on it."

Ned nodded politely, but before he could speak again Stannis cleared his throat.

"If we could get to work?"

Willas broke away from glaring at Alester Florent to look at Stannis.

"I assume you know my demands, Lord Willas?"

"I suppose so," he said sadly, "The Florents to be instated as Lords Paramount of the Reach, our rule restricted to Highgarden," he said, gesturing at Lord Florent.

"Indeed. Any objections?"

Willas Tyrell sighed and shook his head. His sister likewise nodded. Olenna Tyrell stared at the king and said nothing.

"Then we will carry out the official actions later. For the moment, it is enough that you have given me your unconditional surrender."

"Indeed. We cannot keep fighting when our bannermen abandon us in droves," said Margaery coolly. Stannis pretended he had not heard the second sentence.

"Now, as for the question of my brother's child."

Margaery placed a protective hand over her stomach. Ned cut in.

"We have no intention of taking the child from you. In fact, King Stannis has seen fit to allow your son to retain lordship of Storm's End when he grows up."

"However," said King Stannis, "The child will be fostered with Lord Stark-"

"Held hostage, you mean, like Theon Greyjoy-" interrupted Margaery.

"-And look where Theon is now!" responded Ned, almost defensively. He had taken Theon as his ward for King Robert, now it seemed his son would take Renly's son for King Stannis.

Stannis slammed his hand on the table to restore order.

"He will be fostered in Winterfell and he will be returned to Storm's End when the time comes!"

Silence fell again. Margaery fell into a sullen silence, but ultimately acknowledged Stannis' demand.

Stannis nodded.

"In addition, as I understand you have lost many of your household guards, I will be leaving some Florent troops as well as some of my own to hold Highgarden. For your protection," he said dryly. Ned had learned to take Stannis' dry humor in stride.

Willas simply nodded again. The poor man had lost his father, his brother, and his realm. Ned felt a twinge of sympathy.

"I am not without mercy. Be glad I have not taken the other son," Stannis said, referring to Garlan.

Stannis stood and strode out of the then.

"Ned, join me, will you?"

"In a moment, your grace."

Olenna Tyrell stood up and grasped Ned's hand.

"Thank you for your kind words, lord Stark. These are trying times for House Tyrell."

"Well, as they say, Lady Olenna, the Tyrell's words are _Growing Strong._"

"Indeed," she said, her face growing hard.

Ned excused himself and joined Stannis in the brisk autumn air.

"Thus are the wages of treachery, eh Lord Stark?"

"Indeed, your grace."

"Lord Stark, is your daughter not in the Riverlands?"

"She is, your grace, with my lady wife, attending Lord Hoster's funeral."

"Good. When Theon Greyjoy has cleared the seas, I wish for her to be brought south from Seagard."

"South, your grace?"

"I intend to marry her to either Alekyne Florent or Willas Tyrell."

Ned's head spun. _Willas? Marriage? Sansa?_

"Your grace, she is only a girl-"

"She was old enough for Joffrey."

"Yes, but that ended horribly. And why Willas? He is a traitor."

"Yes, but it may pass that a wife may influence her husband. It would prevent Highgarden from attempting to make any moves for power."

Ned detected a hint of bitterness in the king's voice.

"But the Florents are your loyal lords!" replied Ned.

"Yes, I had considered that, a marriage to Lord Stark's eldest daughter would secure their loyalty, but I believe Lord Paramount of the Reach is enough. Besides, they did declare for Renly before me. It would serve as a just reminder to them that they were late to prove their loyalty," Stannis said, the ghost of a smile hovering around his lips.

"I do not trust the Tyrell women. But the Tyrell men, perhaps, we can win. The choice will be yours, Lord Stark. Alekyne Florent or Willas Tyrell. Good day."

Confused, Ned stood on the shore of the Mander, watching dead leaves float downstream. There were thousands of them, moving like a carpet of red and gold and brown.

_Winter is coming_.


	12. The Pieces are Moving

**The Pieces are Moving**

**On the Wall**

The vote on Mormont's Reforms brings tension to the Wall. Every Northman, southerner, wildling, or Black Brother from Westwatch-by-the-Bridge to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea waits while the votes are cast and then counted. At the Shadow Tower the vote comes out to 112 against to 88 for. At Eastwatch the vote is overwhelmingly in favor with 163 for and 37 against. At Castle Black, Allister Thorne's group votes in favor, tipping to vote to 155 for and 45 against.

Final Tally: 194 against, 406 for. The reforms pass.

"Well, we're in it now. Let's see where this takes us." - Jeor Mormont

"Let's hand over the Watch to wildlings and criminals! It's your choice!" - Bowen Marsh

"Good job, Jon Snow. I wonder how I'll look in black?" - Ygritte

The result is a political firestorm, with riots coming close to breaking out at the Shadow Tower and Castle Black. It is only the presence of outside troops that forestalls them, but tensions remain high.

In the aftermath of the vote, the reforms are immediately implemented, with close to a hundred new recruits joining both from Stannis' workers and the wildlings by the end of Autumn. Houses of the Night's Watch are also founded. Before winter, Bowen Marsh, Alliser Thorne, Janos Slynt, Ronnel Harclay, Ottyn Wythers, and Jarmen Buckwell all found houses, retaining slightly modified versions of their old sigils or at the very least the old names.

New houses founded before the end of Autumn were House Blackpyke (founded by Cotter Pyke), House Crowsflight (founded by Yoren), House Irons (founded by "Iron" Emmett), and House Whiteye (founded by Kedge "Whiteye").

Samwell Tarly became the head of House Tarly, sigil a Striding Huntsman in Black on a White Field. Words: No Man is Fearless

Jon Snow also became the head of House Snowstark, sigil a White Direwolf with Red Eyes on a Black Field. Words: Let the Man Be Born. He marries Ygritte, one of the members of the new Spearwife Battalions, before a heartree with Robb Stark and Mance Rayder in attendance.

All the while, repairing the castles of the Wall continues. By the time winter falls, construction has moved to Westwatch-by-the-Bridge and is moving east.

**In the Seven Kingdoms**

Stannis Baratheon focuses on reorganizing the Reach Lords, ensuring that they all bow to him and marking down houses for rewards and punishments after the war is over. He and Ned Stark also attempt to reallocate food stores to hard-hit areas and move smallfolk to areas where they can better survive the winter. House Tyrell and House Florent compete to see who can be the most charitable.

"Even in defeat, we do not forget the smallfolk." - Margaery Baratheon

In addition, Stannis Baratheon gives the desolate Shield Islands to Davos' three oldest sons, though they do not occupy them beyond opening their new castles to the remaining smallfolk on the islands. Talbert Serry retains his lands.

Meanwhile, Ned has ample time to know both Alekyne Florent and Willas Tyrell, though his awareness of the Tyrell's ability to subvert the new Lords Paramount of the Reach convinces him to choose Willas.

"It's not the boy that worries me, it's his damned sister!"

In addition, pressures from within his court convinces him to have young Renly Baratheon fostered at Riverrun.

Now accompanied by Nymeria, Sansa Stark and her mother attend the funeral of Hoster Tully in company with Edmure Tully, Brynden Tully, and several of the more prominent lords of the Riverlands. After the funeral, Brynden and the Riverlords return to Harrenhal, but Edmure declares his intention to secure the forces of House Frey, even if it means marrying one of Lord Walder's daughters.

"I can only hope he gives me my pick of them! Gods know he has enough..." - Edmure Tully

On the Lannister side of things, Cersei and Tywin continue to make moves against their enemies. Vargo Hoat delays the campaign against Duskendale, but in the meantime sellsword bands are voyaging further into the lands of the Stormlands and the Riverlands, only to be stopped by roving bands of vigilantes...

Brienne and the Hound have moved north.

**Across the Narrow Sea**

Tyrion Lannister becomes a huge success at court with his knowledge of dragons, and even more so once he applies it. First he coaxes Viserion and Rhaegal out of their prison and convinces them to nest at the tops of two pyramids. He secures them to the tops with massive chains, hundreds of feet long, and hopes that they will learn not to stray far in the future, thus no longer requiring restraints. Dany places Unsullied at the bases of the pyramids at all times, and none are allowed to ascend them without her leave.

In addition to allowing the dragons to fly free, this also shows the city the power of the dragons, and killings effectively cease for months afterwards.

"Let all Meereen know the power of the Mother of Dragons!" - Tyrion Lannister

When Tyrion learns of this, he helps Dany further by sniffing out informants in her court.

Meanwhile, Barristan Selmy's plan to train new knights and lords is going strong. With the added help of Beric Dondarrion and even Bronn, he is able to advance several promising freedmen and former nobles to the rank of squire.

Thoros of Mry and Malaqqo of Volantis preach the word of the Red God. Many begin to convert.

Reconstruction in the countryside continues apace as well, and Tyrion's help in this matter further increases his stature in the Kingdom of the Bay of Ghis. Crops begin to grow anew and trade enters the kingdom from the lands of the Lhazareen. Dany's process of training former slaves in crafts and setting them to work in state-run workshops allows a small amount of trade to pick up from the sea, but the system is not prefect. Tyrion notes several changes that could be made once he becomes Hand.

"For gods' sake, bring back the prostitutes, for one!" - Tyrion Lannister

What finally convinces Dany to appoint him her Hand, though, is his retrieval of Drogon. He slaughters many livestock in the fighting pits of Meereen and burns some of them, and the blood and smoke lure Drogon back to Meereen. Dany is able to approach the dragon, though it will not let her ride it. From then on, the dragon does not leave the vicinity of the city, and Tyrion is able to train it not to take livestock from the countryside, though it does not need chains like the other dragons.

"Rise, Tyrion Lannister, Hand of the Queen." - Danaerys Targaeryen

However, a ship sails into Meereen's harbor, flying a flag bearing a sun and spear...


	13. Brienne III

**Brienne**

Cautiously, the Hound and Brienne led their men down the country road. They had had two skirmishes with sellswords already, and it was going to get worse the closer they passed to King's Landing. The Hound was vague about the general plan, except "Find sellswords, kill them".

Behind them, the Hound's Men and the Beauty's Boys were stretched out along a mile or so. Mist drifted over the road, obscuring the forest around them. If any of the soldiers protested Brienne's promotion to knight, the Hound commanded enough respect or fear to keep them quiet about it.

It was strange, finally being a knight. Frankly, it was no different from before, though now the Hound called her Dame Brienne - Ser had seemed too strange.

The sound of marching feet up ahead brought her out of her thoughts. The Hound yelled some commands, and immediately the troops moved up to create a line.

Weapons were readied, but Brienne saw what was ahead of them. It looked like a band of smallfolk on foot.

"They're not sellswords! Stand down!"

"Who is that?" yelled a voice from ahead.

"Enemies of the Lannisters!" replied the Hound gruffly.

"Good!"

Out of the fog marched a large group of smallfolk, among them quite a few septons. All of them were armed, except for the septons.

At the head of the group was a small, thin, grey-haired, hard-eyed man with a heavily lined face. He was barefoot, his feet calloused and black from long years of travel.

He frowned at them.

"What is so large a group of knights doing in this area? And a woman among them, dressed so?"

Brienne bristled, but let the Hound speak.

"We are hunting the enemies of Westeros known as the Lannisters and their servants," he said. "This woman is a knight herself, appointed as such by me. I am Sandor Clegane, who fought in the Trial of Seven! I slew Gregor Clegane!"

The leader of the group nodded.

"Good. All enemies of the Lannisters are welcome. These are the Poor Fellows, defenders of the faith."

"Poor Fellows?" asked Brienne. Something tugged at her memory.

"The Faith Militant is reborn! We shall defend the Faith to our dying breath against those who would destroy it. The destruction of the Great Sept shall not go unpunished."

Brienne frowned, but nodded.

"There are many bands of us in the area. Some have Warrior's Sons among them. Here, I shall write you a letter. It will gain you safe conduct and will command any Warrior's Sons to join you. Knights are fine warriors, but they will fight better among others of their kind."

The Hound and his men drew off the road to let the Poor Fellows pass. The leader - the High Sparrow, he named himself- wrote them a letter.

"So have you found any other groups fighting the Lannisters?" asked Brienne.

The High Sparrow shot her a dirty look before answering.

"There are a band of R'hollor worshiping bandits northeast. We have fought them in the past. We do not tolerate the Red Devil."

The Hound frowned at that, but did not respond. After the last of the sparrows passed, he ordered the men to mount up.

"Good day...you holiness," he said awkwardly.

The High Sparrow bowed.

"May the Seven go with you, and may our brothers aid you in your fight."

"Thank you."


	14. The War in the Bay of Ghis

**War in the Bay of Ghis**

**Prelude to War**

War was inevitable for Danaerys Targaeryen from the day that she ordered Astapor sacked. The slave-trading economy was vital to many cities in the area, in a network stretching from Qarth to Tyrosh. When Dany took out the central link in that network, the other cities had to act or face economic turmoil.

Volantis was of course the leader of this alliance, having the largest fleet and army. They blockaded the mouth of the Bay of Ghis and waited for their allies to move into position south of Astapor: Qarth, New Ghis, and Tolos all sent land forces.

A few brave or foolhardy smugglers still passed through the blockade, often by passing close to the Ruins of Old Valyria. It was one of these ships that brought Oberyn Martell, the Red Viper, to Meereen.

Dany met him on the highest terrace of her pyramid, with Drogon perched above her. Ever since Tyrion had trained the dragons to stay near the pyramids, the upper terraces had served as a useful place to hold court. The intimidating beasts provided Dany with yet another useful asset; the Slaver's Coalition, for example, had refused negotiations for fear of Dany sending her dragons after them.

Danaerys was of course smitten with Oberyn, but questions about his paramour made her hesitant to commit to a betrothal. Nevertheless, Oberyn put himself and his few companions - the second sons of Dornish nobility, mostly - at her service.

Finally, Dany was faced with the revelation that the Red Priests thought her Ahor Azai. She saw the logic that dragons, being fire made flesh, were the perfect weapons to fight beings made of ice, but she was hesitant to drop everything and save Westeros, especially with war on her doorstep. She preferred to shy away from the mystical aspect altogether.

Meanwhile, Tyrion was leading the preparations for the war against the Slaver's Coalition. His wit won over many of Dany's court, and his political skills allowed him to outmaneuver those who opposed him. The organization of the war itself proved something of a chore. The army was a military coalition of Unsullied, Sellswords, Freedmen, Dothraki, Brazen Beasts, and Barristan's young knights. Which force to put where and in which part of the battle was a significant part of the planning, one which took up more time than Tyrion would have liked. Still, he was able to get Dany's court to agree on a plan before the Slaver's Coalition marched on Astapor.

**Forces of The Bay of Ghis**

8,000 Unsullied (2,000 for Astapor and Yunkai, 4,000 for Meereen)  
4,000 Freedmen per city  
100 knights and knights-in-training  
50 Dothraki  
4,000 Brazen Beasts (1,000 for Astapor and Yunkai, 2,000 for Meereen)  
500 Second Sons  
2,000 Windblown  
20 ships

**The Battle of Astapor**

The slavers' plan was to march up the bay, taking each city one at a time with the Volantene fleet providing support and moving troops ahead to cut off Dany's forces. Therefore, their first move was against Astapor.

Tyrion intended to halt the Coalition's march at Astapor. The forces of New Ghis and Volantis together nearly equaled the forces Tyrion could put in the field. The army at Astapor was deployed like so:

4,000 Unsullied were the center of the army, going against the New Ghiscari phalanx. 5,000 Freedmen and Brazen Beasts made up the flanks, with the Sellsword cavalry (strengthened by Barristan's knights and the Dothraki) leading the left and the Second Sons leading the right. Barristan would be facing the Volantene land force, though many of that army was still with the fleet, while Brown Ben Plumm would be facing the Qartheen and Tolosi forces. Symon Stripeback, the ruler of Astapor, would be leading the freedmen on the right flank while Tyrion observed from the city.

The Volantenes were holding the Golden Company in reserve.

The battle began in Dany's favor: Barristan's cavalry charge broke a large portion of the Volantene army, and the remainder scrambled to stay close to the New Ghiscari flank. The rest retreated south, towards the waiting fleets.

Meanwhile, the right flank was in trouble. The Qartheen camelry had driven a wedge between the Unsullied and the Brazen Beasts. The Tolosi slingers were also more trouble than they seemed, but to Tyrion, who was overseeing the battle from the walls of Astapor, the Coalition's right flank seemed ready to break.

The battle in the center was the most contested. The Unsullied drove against the New Ghiscari phalanx, in some places driving them back with their sheer ferocity, in others locking shields and stabbing with long lances. The whole line was grinding to a stalemate when the war elephants were brought up.

Barristan called another charge, attempting to drive into the New Ghiscari's side, while his infantry drove off the remaining Volantenes. He was successful, but was unable to fight the elephants. Instead, his charge ground to a halt near the front lines.

However, Tyrion had prepared the Unsullied for this occasion. When the elephants charged, they took heavy losses at first, but soon they began to open huge gaps in their lines. The elephants charged directly into these gaps, where the Unsullied could drive their long pikes into the beasts' sides and bellies. The elephants' charge faltered, and they retreated or died. Meanwhile, the New Ghiscari were too shocked to take advantage of the gaps, except in a few places, and the Unsullied began reforming. The battle was practically over, and the New Ghiscari legions began an orderly retreat, with the Qartheen organizing a substantially less disciplined one.

The battle was won, but with substantial losses among the infantry. Barristan had lost quite a few of his trainees, but the squires that survived the battle were all knighted.

**The Siege of Yunkai**

Before the Battle of Astapor, Dany had ordered her meager fleet to retreat up the Skahazadan, allowing the Volantenes full access to the Bay of Ghis. They were furious with the losses they had sustained, and assumed complete authority over military matters. Qarth was took weak to argue. Tolos was out of the fight. New Ghis had taken substantial but not crippling losses, but were eager for revenge.

The alteration to the Coalition's strategy meant that the army was moved up the coast, to besiege Yunkai, the seat of Jorah Mormont, thus cutting off Tyrion from Danaerys. However, Tyrion, leaving his infantry behind to strengthen Astapor, had marched with the Unsullied, Sellswords, and cavalry to Yunkai by a lesser-used, inland road. While the Volantenes landed the bulk of their army and that of New Ghis, Tyrion sent the cavalry to raid the landing parties while they were still disorganized. This worked for a while, but soon there were too many troops for the Coalition to be caught off guard. Still, this gave Tyrion time to reach Yunkai.

The city was besieged from the north and the south, with the Volantenes (among them the Golden Comapny, who had finally been put into battle) making up the bulk of the northern half and the New Ghiscari guarding the south. The Qartheen camelry had been dispatched as scouts, much to their chagrin.

Tyrion was prepared, however, to break the Volantene army then and there, by depriving them of their fleet. First, he ordered Bronn to select some of the best men from the sellswords, Unsullied, and knights, and prepare for a possibly fatal mission. Then, he waited for Dany to enact the plan he had laid out for her.

When news came that Yunkai was besieged, Dany climbed to the top of the great pyramid. She was going to try and get Drogon to let her ride him.

**The Battle of the Ships**

At nightfall on the tenth day of the siege, Bronn and twenty hand-picked men floated out of Yunkai's harbor on a loose raft of broken wood and canvas. To the night watchmen of the Volantene fleet, it was the flotsam of some merchant vessel destroyed by the warships of Volantis. Only the keenest of night-eyes would have noticed what looked like dead bodies among the wreckage.

Bronn and his men climbed aboard the first ship, one that had only a skeleton crew, and slew the guards and any sailors who resisted. Then, quietly, they freed the oarslaves. It was a close thing, as many of the slaves were overjoyed to see the arrival of the Breaker of Chain's servants.

One by one, they took the ships and freed the slaves. Often there was a fierce battle as they encountered more guards than they expected, but by now they had a good dozen slaves with them, armed with the weapons of their former masters.

It could not last forever, though. Eventually the Volantenes caught on, but by this time nearly a third of their fleet had been taken. As the fleet descended into chaos as ships blundered into one another and the newly freed slaves battled with the remaining soldiers from one boat to another, dawn broke.

And with it, there was enough light for men on both sides to look into the sky and see a sight that had not been seen in hundreds of years.

The dragon riders had returned.

Drogon, a great black beast, stooped down on a ship that was flying the flag of Volantis. The ship went up like a torch, and those nearby caught a glimpse of Danaerys Stormborn Targaeryen, Mother of Dragons and Breaker of Chains, Queen of the Bay of Ghis.

To the Golden Company, this was as good a sign as any to raise the Targaeryen banner. With the name "Targaeryen" as a battle cry, they swept a good portion of the Volantene army into the sea. A significant portion of the Coalition's army was attempting to get back to their ships, while Barristan Selmy and Joarh Mormont emerged from the gates to attack the New Ghiscari camp. Behind them, the Unsullied were forming up outside the gates of Yunkai.

On the ocean, the battle was chaotic. Ships crewed by slaves and those crewed by Volantene soldiers were impossible to tell apart int he heat of battle - some were still contested, while others were running red with blood, seemingly abandoned. Drogon torched whichever ships Dany told him to, but she was haunted by the thought of slaves still chained belowdecks, burning or drowning as the ship went down. Bronn was attempting to order his ships to pull out to give Dany the chance to destroy the Volantenes, but he was no naval commander.

On the shore, the Golden Company acted as the anvil to Joarh and Barristan's hammer, crushing the remaining Volantene army at Yunkai; the rest had drowned attempting to return to their ships, had already done so, or were fleeing south with the bulk of the New Ghiscari, who had given up hope at fighting as soon as Drogon appeared above the bay.

It was an uneasy meeting between Aegon VI, Jon Connigton, Jorah Mormont, and Barristan Selmy. Weapons were grasped, uneasy looks were given, but Tyrion arrived on the scene and hurriedly calmed everyone down. Though secretly he was worried about Aegon's claim - if it was really Aegon, he had his doubts - superseding that of Danaerys, he welcomed Aegon to the realm of Danaerys Stormborn, sister of Rhaegar.

For the Volantenes, it was all over. A third of the fleet was in the slave's hnds and a third was burning, and now on the northern horizon Dany's meager fleet appeared. Still, it was enough for the remaining ships to break, some surrendering, others furiously making for home. Dany stopped her assault on the fleet and turned her eyes south, towards the retreating armies of the Coalition.

To the shock of the watchers on the shore, Danaerys did not fly down to meet them, but rather turned and flew south, towards Astapor and the remaining ships and troops of the Slaver's Coalition.

Tyrion hurriedly began organizing a force to go after her.


	15. Tyrion II

**Tyrion**

It was a vast expanse of burned and charred bodies. Ash lay strewn across the road where something large had burned, like a cart of supplies or an elephant's war tower. The elephants were the worst. Some parts of them weren't burned all the way through...

He ignored that thought and focused on the horizon. That didn't help any. The remnants of Slaver's Coalition army had been strewn out along the road on their frantic retreat back to their remaining ships, near Astapor. Tyrion doubted any escaped, and if they did, they would only find more burned ships. Besides, the whole Bay would be crawling with the ships captured at the Battle of the Ships.

That had been a terrifying affair, by all accounts. Chaos, slaves and soldiers fighting on decks slippery with blood, a dragon flying overhead, burning indiscriminately..

_What have we unleashed upon the world?_

Even Bronn didn't like to talk about it, and he had won his lordship in that battle. Lord Bronn Blazewater, with promises of a keep back in Westeros.

Tyrion rolled his eyes at that. Half of the members of the Golden Company were being promised lands or keeps back in Westeros, only by Aegon VI. Tyrion didn't trust the little shite, already acting as if he was Aegon the Conqueror reborn. Tyrion had half a mind to let Oberyn deal with his highness.

_Speaking of..._

Oberyn had come south with Groleo's fleet, and he had not been happy to find another suitor to the Queen. Already they had threatened to come to blows twice. And now they were a few feet behind Tyrion, arguing. And it was an argument they had been having for almost a day now.

"We need to go after the queen!" insisted Oberyn.

"My cousin can take care of herself! I need to go to Meereen and claim one of the dragons!"

That had been Aegon's plan since the moment Drogon had appeared in the sky over the Bay of Ghis.

"You will not get near those dragons, boy. No one will," Barristan said under his breath. The old knight sat on his horse next to Tyrion, looking out at the battlefield.

_Battle? No, it was a slaughter._

"Enough, you two!" snapped Tyrion. "I can't think with your bickering!"

Oberyn bowed stiffly and walked off. He and Tyrion had built up a friendly respect for one another - Tyrion did not want to ruin that. Aegon, however, scowled at Tyrion and stubbornly stayed put.

Jon Connington sighed and stroked his beard.

"My Lord Hand, perhaps you would care to join us for dinner? That is if-" he gestured at the carnage before them "-this hasn't put you off your appetite?"

Tyrion nodded. It would be good to get to know these new players. Since their awkward battlefield meeting yesterday he had not spoken often with them, aside from a few short words detailing his plans.

"Perhaps a little wine."

While the mixed force of knights, Unsullied, and sellswords pitched camp, Tyrion held a short conversation with Barristan.

"I do not trust our young friend so much," he said. "Something seems a bit off."

Barristan Selmy waved his hand dismissively. "I am a knight, and not suited for intrigue, but he seems to me to like any other royal."

However, here he glanced skeptically towards the Golden Company's camp.

"Though whether he is a royal is a matter I am not yet convinced of. Rhaegar's son, alive?"

He shook his head, confused.

A short time later, with the sun sinking into the Bay of Ghis, Tyrion joined the officers of the Golden Company.

"Tell me, lord Connington," he said as a conversation starter, "Did you sustain many losses at Yunkai?" He sipped at a goblet of wine and looked at the officers while Connington spoke.

"Brendel Byrne, Malo Jayne, and the Peake Brothers. Balaq is still recovering from his wounds, back at Yunkai, with Harry Strickland."

Tyrion remembered meeting Strickland. He was not overwhelmed with what he saw.

He caught Aegon's stare. The boy had been throwing him bitter looks since he had taken his seat. The "Lord Commander of his Kingsguard", Rolly Duckfield, sat next to him.

_Do not try and cross me, boy._

As for the officers at the table...

Marq Mandrake he did not trust, nor Franklyn Flowers. Both had been promised lands and titles by Aegon VI. Tristan Rivers had shown a liking for Tyrion when they had spoken on the road earlier today. The cadaverous Gory Edoryen did not appear to be firmly on either side. Lysono Maar he could make friends with, though.

"Your grace, perhaps I have not been as courteous as I should have been. A toast! To Aegon Targaeryen, the sixth of his name! In the name of Queen Danaerys Targaeryen, welcome to her court!"

Aegon's face grew dark at the implication. Tristan Rivers smirked and elbowed Lysono Maar, while Franklyn Flowers muttered darkly to Rolly Duckfield. Jon Connington tugged at his collar nervously.

However, before anyone could make a move, Barristan Selmy burst into the tent, a Dothraki scout in tow.

"Tyrion, we have an emergency!"

He waddled out of the tent after Barristan. Behind a tent, they held a conversation in hushed voices.

"The queen?"

"Worse. Her dragons."

Tyrion reeled. Had someone attacked the pyramids? The Sons of the Harpy had been quiet for close to a month, had they been planning this?

"I'm not sure the messenger understands, but from what we can gather it appears some Ironborn - he said they had squids, or krakens, on their sails - _stole_ one of the dragons. A one-eyed pirate _blew a horn_, and Rhaegal, the green one, flew over to him. He mounted the dragon and they flew west. We captured the Ironborn, but none of them have talked yet. All we got was his name.

Euron Greyjoy."


	16. Danaerys I

**Danaerys**

The last of the fires went out as the ships sank below the waves. Drogon perched on the highest pyramid of Astapor while she sat next to him, and she thought back to the first time she had been here. And just like that, the last few days came back to her.

The thrill of flying on Drogon's back, the raw _power_ she felt when he breathed fire at the slavers down below, and the screams, the screams of the dying and wounded. Those had been so loud.

She wiped away the tears she had shed when she had heard that one of her dragons, her children, was gone. Tyrion had brought the news. He was here, next to her on the pyramids peak, and except for Drogon they were alone.

"This...Euron Greyjoy blew a horn?"

"I do not know what to say, your grace. The handful of Ironborn who weren't mutes said he had claimed it from the ruins of Valyria with blood, and it was called Dragonbinder...that is all we know."

"Can Rhaegal be brought back?"

"Perhaps if Euron is slain."

Tyrion looked downcast as well. Like her, he had thought the dragons untouchable. She thought about what he had said. Euron Greyjoy, called Euron Crowseye. He had taken her child. But she could get him back.

Tyrion caught the sudden determination in her eyes.

"Your grace, you cannot go after him! Two dragons fighting, you may not survive!"

"I will not go after him right away. I am going after them!" she said, pointing at the wrecked fleet lying on the shores south of Yunkai.

"The Volantenes?" Tyrion asked.

"The dragons are my children. And Euron has taken one from me. But these slavers, they would have taken all my children from me, and left me for dead. I will not let that stand."

"So, you will go to Volantis?"

"Yes, Tyrion. Follow me. I will add it to my domain, and I will need you to rule it, as you have ruled here."

He stood up, but she was already mounting Drogon.

"And Tyrion? Viserion is still at Meereen. I will need someone to look after him. Perhaps it is time to see if Aegon is truly the blood of the dragon?"

Tyrion gulped. It was true, such a gamble could lose her yet another child...but she somehow knew that this gamble would pay off. Aegon was no son of the dragon.

Before Drogon took off, she yelled at Tyrion one more time.

"Look for me in Volantis!"


	17. The War in the Riverlands

**The War in the Riverlands**

Edmure Tully, Lord of Riverrun, succeeded in his mission to ally with the Freys, being betrothed to Roslin Frey and leading 4,000 Frey troops to meet up with Yohn Royce at Harrenal. With that, the combined Vale/Riverlands army marched east to put down Vargo Hoat's army, which was busy sacking Duskendale. Royce left a small garrison to hold Harrenhal.

When Vargo Hoat's army marched north out of the city Yohn Royce and Edmure Tully led their army down to pin them against the sea. The entire army was slaughtered, some of them in the shallows. The Vale/Riverlands army took minimal losses, though Black Walder Frey and two of his relatives were among the slain.

However, now the army was on the opposite side of the Riverlands from Riverrun, and Tywin Lannister saw his chance. He led 50,000 of his own men, with Prince Joffery in his company, to march down the Red Fork, killing and burning as they went. However, when he reached Riverrun, he left 10,000 of his men under the command of Prince Joffrey. With Daario Naharis' troops, he was to besiege Riverrun while Tywin went east to attack Harrenhal. Sansa and her mother were besieged, though none of the defenders considered it a very competent effort and the mere fact that Joffrey was in charge convinced Sansa that she was in no real danger.

However, as Tywin marched east, snow began to fall across the Riverlands, Westerlands, and Crownlands, and by the time Stannis had mustered his forces and those of the Reach to counteract Tywin, it would be falling on the northern edges of the Reach...

Tywin defeated the garrison and soon had entrenched himself in Harrenhal. The Vale/Riverlands force was hesitant to engage him in a siege, but Yohn Royce was confident that given the opportunity he could maneuver around the great fortress and break the siege of Riverrun. The situation, however, would change very quickly with the passing of two major events.

The first was a mutiny by the troops besieging Riverrun. The people of the Westerlands had been hesitant to follow the Lannisters after their resounding defeat in the Trial of Seven, and many had deserted during the sacking of the Northern Marches of the Reach, which led to more dissent. The Sacking of King's Landing was even more disruptive, and the tales of atrocities that filtered west made the situation deadly.

Incited by the Hound's Men and the High Sparrow, several Lannister soldiers approached Prince Joffrey while he was observing the walls of Riverrun and stabbed him to death. While his blood was still smoking in the fresh snow, the camp descended into chaos as the soldiers turned on the sellswords or even each other. Daario escaped, but would later be found dead in a ditch some ways west, slain by the High Sparrow's followers.

The remaining Lannister forces around Riverrun picked up stakes and attempted to return home, expecting to find the road blocked due to the fact that Tywin's men held the Golden Tooth. However, Brienne, the Hound, and several of their best men had led a strike force over the walls a night and opened the gates for their own forces just a day earlier. While some of the mutineers garrisoned the Golden Tooth, the rest returned to their homes or to incite further rebellions against the Lannisters. The Hound's Men returned to the Riverlands to plague the Lannisters. It is interesting to note that during the raids Brienne accepted the surrender of a young squire who would join the Hound's Men - Podrick Payne.

Tywin nearly panicked when he learned of the closing of his route home. He led his men south, leaving the way wide open for Yohn Royce and Edmure Tully to not only return to Riverrun but to march straight into the heart of the Westerlands. Which they did.

Many of the lords in Yohn Royce's army fully intended to visit the same destruction on the Westerlands that Tywin had visited upon the Reach and the Crownlands. However, he ordered that any lord or landed knight that surrendered and joined the rightful king would be spared - obviously they had been forced to comply or face the wrath of Tywin.

Many complied - wives, younger sons, fathers, lords too old to fight - all bent the knee to Stannis, while their relatives deserted Tywin's march south through the building snow. Other changed sides with the hope that they could gain control of their relative's lands once the war was over. Those who did not submit were faced with furious Vale lords, Riverlords, or even their neighbors.

At the same time, Theon Greyjoy led the now pitifully small Iron Fleet to attack Lannisport. The city was sacked ruthlessly and its wealth prepared for shipping back to the Iron Islands. Casterly Rock was lightly besieged.

Houses Bettley, Crakehall, Estren, Farman, Marbrand, Peckledon, Westerling, and members of Houses Brax and Plumm all bent the knee to Stannis, though many of their soldiers remained with him out of necessity.

Genna Lannister met with Yohn Royce twice in a parley during which she made hints that she would bend the knee to Stannis were Tywin to be slain and/or Kevan Lannister to live.

The Westerlands were in ruins, the Lannister bannermen going over to the enemy in droves. Tywin decided to go all in by heading south, straight for Stannis and his army, while Yohn Royce closed in from the west.


	18. Brienne IV

**Brienne**

Ser Wendyll the Righteous was mumbling a prayer under his breath. Brienne caught the words "nonbelievers" and silenced him with a glare. The Warrior's Sons may not like it, but the Hound had made it clear that they would only be allowed to join him if they tolerated some of their comrades being of different faiths.

Still, there was no small amount of distrust between several members of the Hound's ragtag band of rebels. Brienne gave Ser Wendyll a warning glance and returned to the task at hand.

"I said twice before, I could get killed talking to you! I've been away from camp too long anyway!" the Lannister soldier said.

"Then go. Just tell your comrades if they want the Lannisters gone they'll listen to Red Rykker."

Red Rykker frowned and nodded. The R'hollor devotee frowned most of the time. "You have done well, bringing me this spare set of armor," he said, gesturing to his new suit of chainmail and leather, "But getting me in the camp is only half the task."

"We should not trust this nonbeliever..." mumbled Ser Wendyll. This time ti was the Hound who silenced him with a glare. The five of them - Ser Wendyll, Red Rykker, the Lannister soldier, Brienne, and the Hound - were huddled in a thicket just out of view of the walls of Riverrun. Not far from them would be the ten thousand soldiers besieging the fortress.

Brienne spared a moment to reflect on the events leading up to this. As soon as the armies of the Vale and the Riverlands had left Harrenhal and marched east Tywin had come in full force downt he Red Fork, left 10,000 men under Joffrey to besiege Riverrun, and seized Harrenhal. Of course, the Hound had it on good faith that very few of the Lannister's soldiers were endeared to the Lanisters after all they had done.

"Look, we can both agree that Joffrey is an unholy abomination in the eyes of gods and men, correct?"

Ser Wendyll nodded vigorously, and Red Rykker a moment later.

"Then we can agree Joffrey needs to be killed as soon as possible. Then you can return to your homes," she said to the Lannister soldier. Owen, she thought his name was.

Owen gave the four of them a suspicious look.

"We can't go home if we stab the bastard. The Golden Tooths-"

"We told you, leave the Golden Tooth to us," growled the Hound.

"...Very well. Come, Red Rykker, I'll show you the other...conspirators."

As the two snuck off into the underbrush, the Hound turned and began walking briskly away from the hiding spot. Brienne and Ser Wendyll followed.

"Well, that went well," said Ser Wendyll. He could be rather laid-back when he wasn't around the R'hollorists, which was probably why the Warrior's Sons had chosen him as their leader when travelling with the Hound.

"Perhaps. We'll need to wait and see," replied the Hound gruffly.

Brienne shrugged.

"We'll need to get to the Golden Tooth either way."

Ser Wendyll nodded in agreement.

"Even if the mutiny fails, we can at least cut off Tywin from his home."

He paused for a minute.

"I'll contact the High Sparrow. They'll be ready to strike in two days."


	19. Sansa II

**Sansa**

Out beyond the walls of Riverrun everything was a white blanket, except for the red and gold tents of the Lannister army. Sansa leaned on the battlements and watched them, the trails of smoke rising from campfires, the flash of sunlight on metal, the occasional spot of brown as snow was brushed from a tree or shrub. At Sansa's side, Nymeria was resting. The direwolf, despite having reached an enormous size, was as gentle as could be around Sansa.

She ruffled the direwolf's ears.

"If you were out there, you'd be hunting those Lannisters until there weren't any left, wouldn't you?"

The direwolf stared at her with a look that told of more intelligence than a normal wolf. Sansa felt another pang of loss for Lady. That seemed like a lifetime ago, when summer bathed all of Westeros in warmth and winter was a distant warning. _Winter is here._

Robin Ryger had assured her the Lannisters were no threat.

"I've seen sieges, and this is no siege. Joffrey, may the gods curse his name, left in charge of all those men? This is some ploy of Tywin's, I'm not sure what...but I'll say it again, this siege is no danger to you. You just try and ignore them."

Sansa saw the wisdom in his words, but somehow ignoring them was difficult. She would come up here sometimes and watch them, willing an army to appear out of the woods and drive off the army, and for some gallant knight to slay Joffrey. Sansa remembered when she had thought Joffrey the gallant knight who would slay a monster for her. That too had been long ago, in the days of summer. But Sansa knew that she should never have trusted Joffrey. You could only trust your family completely, and the honest Northerners. The south was a nest of lies and deceit, she had learned that the hard way.

Sansa dug out the letter father had sent her.

_Southerners._

Both of her parents had agreed, it was her duty to the family and to the realm to marry Willas Tyrell. He was not a bad man, her father had been sure of that, and was intelligent and noble despite his injury. Her mother had said she may learn to love him, in time. However, she was loathe to get involved in the petty politics and maneuverings of Highgarden. Perhaps it would be as bad as King's Landing.

Once she would have loved to go to Highgarden, see the gardens and tourneys, the ladies and lords in finery...but the gardens were burned, the halls of Highgarden given over to refugees, the lords and knights dead or off to war.

When Sansa was at Winterfell, desperate to reach out to her family, she had written a letter to Jon Snow, her half brother. She remembered something that he had said when he wrote back.

_Kill the girl, and let the woman be born._

She crumpled the letter in her hand and thrust it back into her pocket.

That sweet foolish girl who was in love with Prince Joffrey had to die. She must become Lady Sansa Tyrell, and face the winter. She had not heeded her family words until too late. Winter was here.


	20. Brienne V

**Brienne**

The Golden Tooth was only a short distance away. Brienne, Sandor, and a dozen of their best men were clustered behind a rocky outcrop, hidden by snow drifts. Their white cloaks, gotten at great expense, were invaluable to this mission.

Their spies in the Lannister camp were sure the Golden Tooth was guarded by a skeleton force. Once Brienne, Sandor, and the other went over the walls, they would open the gates and the rest could finish off the garrison.

Brienne took one more look at the imposing tower. It was just a mile away, but Sandor had led the men up the side of the pass, so now they were at about eye level with the upper portions of the tower. Brienne turned back to the men. Derek of Oxcross, former Master of Arms for Leo Lefford and new member of the Beauty's Boys, was sketching a map of the tower on the side of a boulder.

"Then, once the barracks are secure, there's no one who can get the drop on us. They'll have to cross below the galley - where our good archer will be stationed," he nodded at Red Will the former freerider, "Or down the main steps right into our swords. Any questions?"

Ser Wendyll tugged his cloak tighter around him and grumbled.

"How can we be sure the maester won't get off ravens?"

"Even if Red Rykker and The Green Fox don't get there first, we'll have a couple hundred men in this fort by tonight, provided we aren't all dead."

Everyone nodded agreement, and Sandor drew his sword.

"Good. Then let's get in there and win this."

The dozen of them broke cover and raced across the open ground, downhill. So far, there was no sign of any guards on the wall. Derek of Oxcross had said the guards probably weren't finding the cold at all comfortable and were still in their beds.

Ser Wendyll began muttering a prayer, and Brienne added her voice.

"_Father shield us, Crone light our path, Warrior guide our hands, Smith strengthen our shields..._"

They reached the wall and the grappling hooks came out. The first, thrown by Ser Cregan of Crakehall, glanced off the battlements, but Red Rykker's caught and held fast. Red Will scurried up it and landed on the walkway with catlike grace, bow ready, while Willamen the Green Fox, a rare Westerosi water dancer, followed. When he reached the top he threw down two rope ladders and the rest followed.

When they had gathered on the walls, Sandor gave some sharp orders.

"Ser Steffon, Ser Cregar, with Dame Brienne. Red Will, get to the gallery. Rykker, take the Green Fox and get to the ravenry. The rest, with me."

Sandor went left, towards the barracks, and the rest went right, towards the main courtyard.

A sleepy head peeked out of the gates of the tower, and Red Will's arrow took them between the eyes. Brienne took a moment to glance at the body, identifying it as a guard, and led Ser Steffon and Ser Cregar down the hall. Another sleepy guard wrapped in a cloak shouted when he saw them, but Brienne lunged forwards and drove her sword into his face, breaking the visor of his helmet. He fell to the ground with a clatter of armor.

"Now the fun begins," growled Ser Steffon.

They continued moving, seeing no one except frightened servants who shrieked and dove into side rooms. However, when they reach the floor below Lady Lefford's quarters, they found four guards waiting for them.

Brienne moved forwards, with Steffon on her left and Cregar on her right. The first guard went down to Brienne's sword, but the other three rushed forwards. One traded blows with Ser Steffon, another with Ser Cregar. Brienne took the third.

He was tough, but he was all brute strength. She let him hammer at her shield, a battered old thing with a long-gone sigil, before sweeping past him and stabbing him in the armpit, where the armor was weak. She turned, letting his body fall to the floor, and turned to see the Ser Cregar was crawling weakly towards his sword, while Ser Steffon finished off his attacker. Brienne killed the last soldier and helped Ser Cregar lean on her shoulder.

"You'll pull through, don't worry. You'll see Crakehall again," said Ser Steffon. At that moment a helmetless Lefford guardsman climbed the steps and saw them, but before he could say anything, an arrow took him in the back. Red Will shoved his body down the stairs and looked at them, worried.

"Will? You were supposed to be covering the courtyard."

He tugged at his collar and shrugged.

"Well, Red Rykker must have had some trouble in the ravenry because...well, let's just say he decided to get close to his god," he said, pointing out the window.

The ravenry was on fire smoke billowing from the windows in great black clouds, the birds fleeing and shrieking up a storm. Brienne looked and saw the gates wide open, and Sandor and five other men fighting with half a dozen guardsmen.

"Can you shoot them from here?"

"Perhaps. I think the trouble is not hitting Ser Sandor and his boys."

As Red Will readied his bow and took aim while Ser Steffon awkwardly bandaged Ser Cregar's wounded foot and arm.

Brienne hacked at the doors to Lady Lefford's room, then kicked down the door when it was sufficiently weakened.

Lade Lefford was wearing a great fur cloak and grasping a hunting knife in a way that would only get herself injured if she tried to use it.

The lady gasped and practically dropped the knife when she saw Brienne, a woman in armor, towering over the slight Ser Steffon. She cowered against the wall and trembled.

"P-please don't kill me. Leo he-he went off with Tywin and most of our men, left me a dozen-"

"I'm afraid your guards are mostly dead," Brienne said. _Probably all dead, in fact._ A shout from Red Will confirmed that the main group of men was moving down the road at that moment.

"Our men will hold this castle within the hour. You, I am sorry to say, are our prisoner, my lady."

Lady Lefford shook like a leaf and clutched her fur cloak to herself.

Patrek, the former Stablemaster of Goldengrove, hurried in.

"Dame Brienne, Ser Sandor's won the gates. The garrison's dead or surrendered and our men are moving down the road."

"Please! My ladies-in-waiting are on the floor below us. Please tell me they won't be raped!"

Brienne fixed Lady Lefford with a cold gaze.

"What do you think we are, Lannister soldiers?"


End file.
